The following invention relates to the mechanical compression and stabilization of pelvic fractures and, in particular, to an apparatus for rapidly stabilizing fractures of the pelvis to help reduce blood loss.
The human pelvis can be fractured from severe impacts such as those that occur in traffic accidents, falls and industrial accidents. When such a fracture occurs, it is usually accompanied by severe pain and a great deal of blood loss. In many cases, prompt action to stabilize the fracture must be taken in order to prevent the loss of life.
Among the ways in which such fractures are treated is through the use of an external fixator which is applied over the pelvis. The external fixator compresses the pelvis to close the fracture and firmly hold the pelvis in place until it has healed. Previous external fixators have employed a variety of designs, many of which comprise a plurality of interconnected bars. One such design, shown in the Slatis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,144, utilizes a trapezoidal frame having two protrusions which can be applied over the pelvis and a threaded adjustment mechanism which is used to compress the pelvis.
A problem with most such external fixators is that they take a great deal of time to properly adjust and apply over the pelvis, resulting in excessive blood loss. In addition, many such devices require more than one person and a considerable amount of dexterity to operate. Further, many have a tightening mechanism which cannot be quickly operated to hold the pelvis in place. While such devices may be suitable for long-term stability during healing, they are not well suited for emergency and short-term applications where speed in stabilization is important.